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CU chemistry students limited by aged building

School leaders say the building is safe, but past officials raised concern about Ekeley

By Brittany Anas Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
10/23/2009 07:45:29 PM MDT

Updated:
10/24/2009 12:19:20 PM MDT

Farrah Qureshi, a sophomore chemistry and biochemistry major, works on an experiment Monday at the Ekeley Science Building on the University of Colorado campus. A $12.9 million renovation in the aged building has been put on hold, after state funding for the project has twice fallen through. Campus leaders say the building is safe, but not state-of-the-art, despite past warning from former CU officials.
(
MARTY CAIVANO
)

The University of Colorado is spending $50,000 to $60,000 to improve the ventilation system in an aged science building that current officials insist is safe, despite claims to the contrary in past years.

While CU has moved forward in breaking ground on multi-million dollar construction projects elsewhere on the campus -- relying almost entirely on donors and its own funds -- a $12.9 million renovation in the Ekeley Science Building has remained strapped for funding from the state.

"This is a building that is safe, but not state-of-the-art," said Frank Bruno, CU's vice chancellor for administration.

Those who work and study in the building say that Ekeley isn't in such bad condition that it needs to shut down. But they remain concerned that the building's current state -- with cramped labs and outdated fume hoods -- hinders the curriculum and the types of experiments that can be conducted.

Safety concerns surfaced in past years

Funding for the full-scale Ekeley renovation has twice fallen through, and the project, which is mostly designed, is now officially on hold.

CU began requesting money from the state for the Ekeley renovation project in 2003, according to CU system spokesman Ken McConnellogue. The project in 2006 was vetoed by then-Gov. Bill Owens, and just last year lost funding amid the state construction freeze triggered by the recession.

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Internal annual safety audit reports for the labs and offices in the middle wing of Ekeley, requested by the Camera and dating back to 2001, don't note any hazards. In fact, compliance with hazardous waste rules, safety equipment measures and general housekeeping consistently received "satisfactory" marks, which are the best available.

But a separate document provided by CU that outlines state funding needs for the renovation of the middle wing of Ekeley says there is "poor laboratory ventilation resulting from outdated and inadequate fume hoods" and a "lack of safe storage and handling facilities for waste chemicals." The document also notes that the wing is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"It's not so bad we would want to close the labs," said Tad Koch, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

The university has a tough balancing act: emphasize problems in the Ekeley wing to convince the state to fund the project, but not overstate the problems.

"You've got to be careful not to push too far, because they'll come close it," Koch said.

Former CU Chancellor Richard Byyny pushed for the renovation back in 2001, addressing the Board of Regents. He told the elected leaders that the improvements are "badly needed" to protect the health and safety of future CU students, faculty and staff.

Three years ago, when Ekeley was again up for state funding, the Camera went on a tour of the aged building with then-campus architect Steven Thweatt, who pointed to ineffective fume hoods in the labs that forced students to breathe chemical fumes that should be ventilated outside.

Another campus priority at that time was a new visual arts center, because of the poor state of the now-demolished Sibell Wolle building, which didn't meet safety codes and was ill-equipped for studio work.

A new $63.5 million, 170,000-square-foot art building is nearing completion. The state agreed to pay $18.5 million for the visual arts complex. The building temporarily landed on the state's construction freeze list, and $7 million from the state for the final phase was put on hold -- but CU successfully made its case that construction was already underway.

Funding struggle

CU officials argue that it's the state's responsibility to fund the renovation because Ekeley is considered a state academic building.

Paying for maintenance bills and updating a building that was originally constructed in 1925 would be a tough pitch to donors, and the school has already said it doesn't want to rely again on increased student fees for construction projects.

Before 2000, the state traditionally funded buildings on campus that had an academic mission, McConnellogue said.

But that money is now much harder to come by.

The school is even stalling construction on a wing of CU's new biotechnology building, requesting that the state put forward $31.8 million for the portion of the building that will hold classrooms. The first phase of the biotechnology building, which is 257,000 square feet and costs $148 million, is expected to be completed in fall 2011.

Vice Chancellor Bruno said the university needs to maintain its old structures while constructing state-of-the art buildings that allow for cutting-edge research and academic work.

"We will continue to make investments in each case."

Bruno said he recognizes that the state of Ekeley is cramping the curriculum, and the school is using campus funds to pay for the recomissioning of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.

"In the best possible world, we would not have a situation that we are in now with the state budget."

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